Board of Ed to set focus group dates

Published 8:00 pm, Tuesday, October 20, 2009

According to Board of Education Chairwoman Rosa Murray, the public's input is a priority during the next phase of the superintendent search.

On Tuesday night, when the board approved the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) as its search consultant firm, Murray said the search committee will announce focus group dates this week so that they can begin to collect "as much input as possible" from the community.

In addition to the focus group sessions, where individuals can share their views with the search committee about what skills and talents they think the new superintendent should possess, community groups will be invited to meet with the search consultants to share their views as well, the board chairwoman said.

"It is the board's primary objective that anyone who wishes their thoughts to be heard has the opportunity to do so," Murray wrote in a statement.

She noted that includes not just families with children in the school system, but all community members.

There will also be a "Leadership Profile Assessment" available at all schools and online for community members to fill out, she said, and people can also share their thoughts with CABE directly in writing.

Interim Superintendent Bill Papallo noted there will be a public forum tentatively to be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 in City Hall for those who were not able to attend a prior focus group.

"We're ready to move into full gear, and we'll try to be as economical with the time but as thorough with the search as possible," he said at the meeting.

"This is an exciting community," Papallo continued. "It's a great opportunity for someone out there with a talent. We want to identify talent within people who are happy where they are who are not looking to move, but we can entice them here with the opportunities we have for them.

"It's not a big pool out there, I can imagine, but I do feel the way the board is going about it now is the way for us to get the best possible candidate. It only takes one. Your (the community's) input is very valuable to the board, so here we go."

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